Can USF keep its roster (and coach) around for another title run?

TAMPA — They arrived at the interview room still numb to reality. Their astounding season, which had stupefied observers and invigorated a previously dormant fan base, had just ended.

And neither Chris Youngblood nor Kasean Pryor — two of the primary catalysts to USF’s improbable resuscitation — had digested that sobering fact. But in short order, questions came about the surreal journey they had just completed, the lessons gleaned from it, the relationships that had been forged. And the numbness gradually thawed.

“If you respect this game and the team as a unit, this game will give you a lot of good stuff,” Youngblood said moments after the Bulls’ 70-65 loss Sunday to Virginia Commonwealth in the second round of the NIT. “And that’s what it gave us this year.”

Pryor was even more philosophical. “We’re in here together every day, spending most of our time together,” he said.

“These are my brothers and my family every day when I’m not home with my real family. Just being able to build the bonds that we’ve had ... going out to eat, the plane rides and the bus rides, we’re always together.

“It’s for a lifetime.”

But could it be for one more year?

For pragmatic fans, that’s the more pressing question. In a fraternal or familial sense, the 2023-24 Bulls — who captured the first conference regular-season championship in program history and set a season record with 25 victories — will remain attached the next 50 years. But from a roster perspective, can they remain intact another 12 months?

If so, another American Athletic Conference title run looms. Of the nine players who averaged at least 10 minutes this past season, only guard Jose Placer has exhausted his eligibility. While AAC Sixth Man of the Year Selton Miguel and backup forward Sam Hines were recognized with Placer during USF’s senior night, both still have a year of eligibility.

But Miguel — an Angola native — could be inclined to turn pro (most likely overseas) to help support his family. Pryor, who averaged nearly a double-double in league play (14.7 points, 8.2 rebounds) in a breakthrough season, also could get professional overtures. Still others might be inclined to enter the NCAA transfer portal in pursuit of more prominent roles or name, image and likeness opportunities.

“We’ll see what happens with the rest of the roster, because Kasean Pryor and Selton Miguel really helped themselves,” Bulls coach Amir Abdur-Rahim said following Sunday’s loss. “I’ve had a number of scouts call me throughout the year asking about them, and we’ll see what the feedback is and we’ll go from there.”

One player almost certain to stay — if his coach does — is Youngblood. One of three players who followed Abdur-Rahim from Kennesaw State last year, Youngblood earned co-AAC Player of the Year honors (15.3 points per game, 41.6% from 3-point range) in his fourth season playing for Abdur-Rahim.

“Y’all thought Chris Youngblood was good this year, man, that dude has gotten better every year he has been in college,” Abdur-Rahim said. “It’s about to be scary, how good he could become.”

Yet Youngblood’s future could be predicated on Abdur-Rahim’s status. After overseeing the Bulls’ improbable season one year after leading Kennesaw State to its first NCAA Tournament berth, the 43-year-old has been mentioned as a prominent candidate for more than one Power Five coaching vacancy, including Louisville.

Last week, USF athletic director Michael Kelly told the Tampa Bay Times that discussions regarding an extension/revision of Abdur-Rahim’s six-year contract already were in the works, with talks set to intensify at season’s end. Abdur-Rahim acknowledged that during a radio appearance Monday on WDAE (620-AM).

“(Kelly) and I have sat down and talked about some things we can do to make sure that I can remain here. And when that comes out, it comes out,” he said.

“But the one thing I will say is, I’m not one of those guys that’s in a rush trying to (move on). I value people. Yeah, money’s important; it’s great and all of that good stuff. But I value people, I value alignment, and the support that I’ve had here from Day 1 ... has been incredible, and I love the alignment here at USF.”

Question now is, can a planetary alignment ensue for Bulls fans who yearn for their roster and staff to remain intact?

If it does, an encore performance seems highly plausible.

“I say this humbly: The one thing you can count on is, we’re going to put a team out on that floor that’s competitive, that’s prepared to win, and that’s going to be about South Florida,” Abdur-Rahim said. “They’re going to be about what’s on the front of their jersey.”

Contact Joey Knight at jknight@tampabay.com. Follow @TBTimes_Bulls

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